She spent a great deal of time moaning and resting in her bedroom at the back of the house.Unimpressed by her mother’s suffering, Augusta took advantage of the good weather to clean the front windows downstairs. Frau von Langsdorff did not permit her to do such a thing in full view of neighbors and passersby, but the windows were grimy and, to Augusta’s mind, this was much more embarrassing than being seen washing them. She put on an apron, tied a scarf around her hair, and carried a bucket of water and some old dish clouts outside, then got the short ladder from the shed in the back garden and went to work.The day was blue and pretty, with puffy clouds sailing along, and Augusta did not mind the wind. It helped dry the windows more quickly. She made good progress and thought that she would be done well before the church bells struck eight and her mother emerged from her room to nibble something for her supper. They always ate late because “only servants and laborers” had their evening meal before the sun set.The sun was setting, and she had reached the last window when her neighbor put her head out to call, “Gusterl, look who’s coming.
